Last things last… we’re down to the final two and they’re performing right across the street from game one of the Lakers and Nuggets… i’m glad i’m not in THAT traffic, though i’m sure that both events would be fun to be at live… this is a neat intro, showing the two during their initial screenings and auditions… i don’t remember them doing that last year… now, Ryan is trying to be Mr. Standup, but whatevs… anyway… off we go…

Dynamo Duo

now playing: Eat, Sleep, Repeat – Copeland

“Wicked”… he’s starting off with a rerun… they had to pick one of their favorite performances from the past weeks… and he’s coming with “Mad World“… i guess that it’s a good choice, since it shows off his crazy without isolating his audience by shrieking or anything… it’s a rather controlled performance, but one that emanates the creepiness that he needs for appeal… Randy says A+… Kara says he’s and artist and he rocked it again… Paula is playing “Spray-on Tan Barbie” and she says that she’s proud of him… Simon thought it was his best performance the first time, but maybe a little too over the top…

“With a K”… singing “Ain’t No Sunshine” from behind the piano… and i like it right away… this is a really good song choice – has he done it before?… it seems like he might have, but either way, it’s a great tune with lots of great opportunities to riff and throw in emotion… and this is a spectacular arrangement and he’s really killing it… that was hot… Randy looking like a banker, says it was one of his best performances EVAR… Kara says that Kris is incredibly moving… Paula says that he awakens the spirit of everyone… Simon says that last week he wasn’t sure about Kris, but he is now… and after the numbers, Simon calls Kris the winner of round 1..

now playing: Rip It Up (Alt. Alt. Take) – Family Force 5

“Wicked”… Simon Fuller picked the next batch of songs… and, while this is one of my favorite songs, i can’t help but wonder if he picked this for the wrong contestant… Kris could do a nice Gavin DeGraw style version of this one… instead, Adam is treating us to a rousing Cinderella (the 80s hair-band) version of it… it’s not absolutely horrid – it’s pretty good actually, but i don’t know… not my favorite… Randy says that was unbelievable… Kara says it may have been his best interpretation of a song EVAR… Paula tries to rope him with her invisible Wonder Woman lasso, saying that it was the best he’s ever sung… Simon says he is 100% back in the game…

“With a K”… Simon Fuller is apparently brought to us by Motown… anyway, his choice for Kris is Marvin Gaye’s What’s Goin On… and Kris switches up the arrangement by pulling out the guitar and John Mayering it up… these two really are night and day from each other… and probably the best final two in the history of American Idol… i liked it… Randy says it was a little light… Kara says be true to your school, yo… er… i’m not really sure what she said, but there were hand motions to it… Paula said that he tore it up and made Marvin proud… Simon says that it was a bit too laid back, like a bunch of friends strumming along at home… then Simon switches his vote by a million percent… must be British math…

now playing: This Is My Now – Scott Krippayne

“Wicked”… this is a song written by Kara and some other unnamed songwriter… and Adam is walking through it like a blind man locked out of his house… yeah, he’s lost his keys… all the keys… this is incredibly pitchy and absolutely wretched… if this is any indication on how a post-AI album release will go, then I really hope that Adam loses and walks away… that’s terrible… TERRIBLE!… and once again Idol proves that they don’t care who the artist is, they just want them to fit a mold… Randy says it was just alright… Kara credits her cowriters and thanks Adam… Paula says that she’s a fan… Simon says that he’s going to ignore the song and point out that Adam is one of the best contestants that AI has ever had and that he’s a star…

“With a K”… so here’s his take on the same song… and i’ll try to be as non-descript as Simon (but it’s really a crap song, if i’m honest)… anyway… it definitely suits him better than Adam and at least he’s on key and making something of the song that’s not an absolute mess… i mean, if it’s on a playlist, i’m still pressing skip, but i might make it through 20 seconds instead of 3… Randy says he’s an amazing competitor, but then slights him for not being Adam… Kara says that the song was too high for him, but it’s been an incredible season… Paula wishes him the best of luck… Simon says that Kris peaked at song one, in so many words, but that he thoroughly deserves to be here tonight…

now playing: Home Sweet Home – Carrie Underwood

alright, thus concludes the final American Idol “report” from me for this season… i won’t even attempt to blog through the finale tomorrow because i always end up skipping over at least 2/3rds of those shows anyway…

so where does this leave us? who’s gonna walk away with the title?… early in the season, i picked Adam to win it all and i think i picked Kris to go somewhere around 9th or so… but like i said, he really came on strong over the last half of the competition and i think that he’s even surpassed the mighty Adam… therefore, i’m going with…

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner: Kris

peace… love… bdg…